Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 76, 26 February 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Cause List.—The following is the cause list of civil cases in the B.M. Court to-day:— J. Wallace v. C. D. Berry ; J. Clements v. J. Neagle; J. Jacobs v. G. Jackson; E. Paviour V. W. King; Bilham v. W. Cooper; Bilham v. H. Morse ; Baird v. B. Austin ; D. Page v. F. Francis. Trust Commissioner's Court. — Pouriuri Block, deed of conveyance from Rangikahiwa and others to J. -Clark—certificate attached. Waiomoto Block, deed of lease from Karepa Koutuku and others to H. Campbell—certificate attached. This was all the business of .the Court, which was.held yesterday. Siltiso-up of the Biver.—Further complaints are heard as to the silting-up of the river opposite the wharves. In this instance the schooner Columbia is again unable to berth alongside the wharf, and has consequently to be lightered. Borough Council.—The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council will be held in the offices, Lowe Street, to-night. Roseland Fete.—ln answer to a correspondent, we beg to state that Messrs. Cohen and Morrice did not take part in the proceedings at Roseland Gardens on Saturday last, only so far as the former gentleman having been a spectator. Sperm Whales.—Rapata Maniera, who has just arrived from Te Mahaia, states that on the 31st of January a school of sperm whales numbering about 100 made their appearance. Nine boats manned by Europeans and Maoris went out and captured three. On Feb. 18, the school appeared a second time. The same parties gave chase again and were successful in capturing twelve more. Rapata states that they have the oil now for sale and will be glad if intending purchasers will go there and offer a price. He thinks that there will be about 80 tons of oil. Obmond Cricket Club.—A correspondent writes : —“ The meeting arranged to take place last Saturday evening to form a cricket club came off very successfully, fully twenty persons being present. Mr. W. E. Cross was voted to the chair. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Higgins, seconded by Mr. Gibbs— 1 That a cricket club be formed to be called the Ormond Cricket Club.’ The following gentlemen were elected to fill the various offices : —Mr. Higgins, President; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Hogan. A committee comprising Messrs. Cross, Ashley, Wallace, and Bolton was appointed to make all necessary arrangements. The subscription was fixed at 10s., with a call of Is. per member in case of emergency, all subscriptions to be paid on or before Saturday, March Ist. A committee meeting will be held on Wednesday evening, at 8 p.m. I must congratulate the members of the club on the successful formation of a cricket club, the want of which has long been felt here ; and it is to be hoped that all the members will feel the necessity of putting their shoulders to the wheel, and pulling together with a will, as that will be the only way to bring the club up to the standard that all true lovers of the noble game would wish to see it. I trust ere long that we shall try conclusions with Gisborne, and I can only say that, if we do, although we may get defeated, it will be a defeat to be proud of instead of ashamed.” Tenders.—The following are the tenders received by the Borough Council for the construction of a wharfinger’s office:—Denton and Harris, £l5 ; J. W. Maekrell, £lB 125.; G. Rowley, £l9 155.; J. Ponsford, £2O. The tender of Denton and Harris, being the lowest, was accepted.

Painless Dentistry.—As will be seen by reference to our advertising columns, Mr. Grossman is now prepared to administer the “ Laughing Gas,” by means of which he is enabled to extract teeth entirely without pain. Tenders fob Grazing.—Tenders :'te invited by Mr. Wm. Ratcliffe for the grazing rights for twelve months over 40 acres and 50 acres respectively in the township of Ormond. Both are laid down in English grass. Mineral Discoveries.—The Christchurch Press of tho 19th inst. says :—“ It is reported that some very encouraging mineral discoveries have recently been made near Christchurch, which are likely to turn out something very good, indeed. At present the locality and the details of the discovery have not made known, but as steps have been taken to still further prove the extent, no doubt more will be soon heard of it.”

Unprofitable.—Sending frozen sheep home to England does not appear to pay in all instances. The Wanganui Chronicle, in the course of an article, shows that, in the case of a consignment of 244 sheep, of an average weight of 701bs. each, sent from there lately, the total charges by the time the sheep were placed on the Home market were £271 195., while the receipts were not more than £450 95., being an average price received by the former of 14s. 7d. per sheep, which is less than what can be got for a sheep in Wanganui at present, even if it were only bought for boiling-down purposes. Trout.—From the Wairarapa Daily we find that the trout hatched last year in the ponds of the Wairarapa Acclimatisation Society are reported to be thriving in all parts of the Wairarapa over which they were distributed. They now average about a pound in weight. One young trout, about six months old when it was brought to Masterton, was weighed the other day, and turned the scale at 21b.

New Zealand Mails.—“ Mr. Berry, the Victorian Postmaster-General, and his officers are unable to give any definite explanation of the telegram received from London with reference to the carriage of the New Zealand mails by the Peninsular and Oriental line. The telegram was dated the 11th instant, and stated that Mr. Fawcett, the PostmasterGeneral, had agreed for the present to detain the New Zealand mails, unless specially addressed to go via Brindisi, until the departure of the San Francisco mail, in order to allow New Zealand and Victoria to come to an understanding as to the rates to be charged. It is also said that thousands of letters and newspapers were, in accordance with these arragements, detained last Friday, instead of being sent by the P. and O. steamer. The New Zealand Government subsidise the ’Frisco line, and their mail matter forwarded by that line is, of course, carried for the subsidy; but letters, parcels, and newspapers have also been carried for New Zealand by the P. and O. line, for which the Victorian Government charged the New Zealand Government'at rates of 255. per lb. for letters, Is. 6d. per lb. for packets, and 6d per lb. for newspapers. The only suggestion which the officials here can give as to the cause of Mr. Fawcett’s action is that the New Zealand Government, or their Agent General in London, have heard of the new arrangements into which Victoria and New South Wales have entered for the conveyance of mails for each other, and that they desire to enter into a similar arrangement, or one which they think will be more to their advantage than that which now exists. Hitherto, however, neither New Zealand nor the British Government have communicated in any way with the Victorian Government for an alteration of terms ; and if any loss or inconvenience is caused through the detention of the thousands of letters and newspapers referred to, it will not arise from any action or fault of the Victorian Postal Department.”